Until her billionaire husband, Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin’s death in 1991, ever-gorgeous Chief Tina Ogundoyin was, somewhat, a private woman with little activities politically. Of course, reports have it that the late Eruwa-born philanthropist and defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN Chieftain, met his then young beautiful wife at a political event in Ibadan, Oyo State in the 1980s from where their relationship kicked off. So, in essence, she’s not a political neophyte. However, a few years into her husband’s demise —with substantial fortune inherited as well as her own thriving petroleum retailing business— Tina, famously known as Queen of Sheba, became more of a society woman than politician as she rocked the Ibadan social scene like an Empress. Though shaken by the then clouds surrounding her as the youngest widow of the billionaire owner of defunct Femo Scorpions Football Club, Tina’s status as the party queen in Ibadan remained unshaken leading —with gait— all the way from one high class gig to another. As the years grew, Tina, now in her early 60s, temporarily resigned from the stage. However, she was to stage an unprecedented comeback to the scene last year, when her second son, Adebo Ogundoyin, against expectations emerged the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly —just less than a year into his political sojourn.
With her son becoming the Number three man in a State like Oyo, Tina’s waning profile was suddenly revived. And this time around, she is no longer just a socialite, but a politician with influence. Tina, Spotlight gathered, early this year drew some politicians’ anger in the State over her domineering influence on her 33 year-old Speaker son. And expectedly, it took a toll on the young man’s less than three-year old political career. The aggrieved bloc is also not happy that Tina has turned herself into a political leader of her son’s constituency in Eruwa and a major stakeholder at the State level. She was accused of having to be in the know with her approval sought before any political meeting that has to do with her son can be held. But like a mother hen, Tina appeared ever ready to protect her four children —three sons and a daughter— especially Adebo, who is still unmarried, from both political and societal hawks. However, sources said it was the timely intervention of a former Governor of the State that quells the crisis. And the vivacious and ageless Speaker’s mother had to back down to appease this powerful bloc. Yet, that didn’t dim her rising profile as she recently got a juicy position as the Iyaloja-General by the Coalition of Traders in Oyo State. Her appointment last Thursday came after the demise of the former Iyaloja-General, Alhaja Wuraola Kola-Daisi, who died recently at the age of 86. The Coalition of Traders through the President Ibadan Joint Traders, Alhaji Dauda Oladepo announced the appointment of Tina, who until her latest elevation was the Iyaloja-General of Ibarapa land.
